Eric Coulter Imagines

Rumors of Rivals

Four's got another pet project, but for once, it isn't you.

It's a habit of his, one he'd do best to kick. Although Four may like to keep his indifferent silence and pretend as if he were a shallow-hearted Dauntless through and through, he's got a soft spot for the people he likes. He's got a knack for finding similar souls and winning them over, even as he acts as if he couldn't care less about any of you. He did this while you were an initiate, and now he's repeating the process with one of his new trainees, a girl named Tris.

Since you don't work the initiates, you haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting Tris Prior, although you've heard Four talk about her often enough that you have a good gauge of her likes, dislikes, and every single conversation she's had with your friend. For someone who claims that he couldn't care less about anyone but himself, Four's awfully attentive to Tris.

It makes you laugh, both when he's around and not. Despite Four's claims otherwise, it seems that even the toughest of Dauntless fall victim to their hearts every now and then. Despite Four's claims otherwise, that's one test you won't be failing. Four may have fallen in love, but not you. Not a chance. The only decent one around here is Four, and he's clearly besotted with Tris. No other men even come to mind.

Four and Tris catch up to you, and he begins the introductions. "Y/N, this is Tris, the initiate I've been talking about. Tris, this is Y/N. She's a good friend of mine."

Tris smiles at you. "It's nice to meet you, Y/N. Four has said a lot of good things about you."

You laugh. "It can't be more than what he's said about you, trust me. I think all of our conversations are now about you."

Tris laughs too, evidently surprised at your camaraderie. "I'm sure he'll argue with that, but I'm glad to hear it. I have to say, I knew what to expect from a Dauntless Leader, but you're way nicer than I expected."

You grin. "Oh, trust Four to talk up my reputation. We're not all totally dramatic around here."

Four rolls his eyes. "Yeah, right. As if you're not locked in one of the worst rivalries Dauntless has ever seen."

Tris widens her eyes, curious. "What are you talking about?"

You fold your arms across your chest. "Four doesn't mean anything because he doesn't know what he's saying. There's nothing there."

Four scoffs. "Of course there's something there. Tris, Y/N's just denying it because she's too embarrassed to admit that she's totally obsessed with beating Eric at everything."

Tris claps a hand to her mouth. "Wait, I know what you're talking about. Everyone in the faction has been gossiping about Eric and one of the other Leaders. You don't mean that–"

"Yes," you admit reluctantly. "The rumors are about me. They're just jokes, though. Nothing to take seriously."

Four arches a brow doubtfully. "Of course they're not."

You swat him in the shoulder. "Anything more on the subject and I'll push you off a roof, Four. Watch your tone."

Instead of taking your threat seriously, Four just cracks a rare grin and keeps his triumphant silence. In all honesty, he's not wrong about the gossip, and neither is Tris. You have been rivals with a certain Eric Coulter for most of the time you've been at Dauntless, if not all of it, and beating Eric at anything from a fight in the ring to glowing recommendations from the other Dauntless Leaders does indeed make your day like nothing else.

At this point, there's nothing you can do to stop it. There's no way you could ever like Eric, he makes it impossible to so much as smile around him. He's insufferable, that's all, and he always has been.